Will Japan Turn to Deep Seabed Mining to Secure Critical Mineral Supply Chains?
In late June, Japanese researchers found around 230 million metric tons of critical minerals on the seabed within Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The resources include enough cobalt to meet the...
View ArticleIndonesians Rejoice as Pope Francis Visits
In 1989, Pope John Paul III, then the global leader of the Catholic faith, visited Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation on earth, as part of an interfaith visit covered by the New York Times,...
View ArticleNepal’s Blockade-era Foreign Minister Details Closed-door Diplomacy With India
When India imposed a 6-month economic blockade on Nepal in 2015, the frontline diplomats from both countries were their ambassadors to Delhi and Kathmandu as well as their foreign ministers. In the...
View ArticleIsrael-Japan Relations and the Middle East
The Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners, and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into U.S. Asia policy. This conversation...
View ArticleThe Global Battle for Chip Talent: South Korea’s Strategic Dilemma
Major powers have begun competing for semiconductor manufacturing dominance as it has emerged as one of the most critical industries of the 21st century. China is pushing to become a new semiconductor...
View ArticlePakistan’s Military Vows Accountability in Its Ranks Amid Trial of Former Spy...
The Pakistan Army’s recent announcement regarding accountability within its ranks is a significant development. The army’s robust system of accountability ensures that no individual, regardless of...
View ArticleNorth Korea Expands Media Ban to Include Chinese Films
North Korea recently expanded its list of prohibited media to include Chinese films and TV shows, marking a significant shift in its censorship policies. Traditionally, North Korea’s bans focused on...
View ArticleHow Did Japan’s Conservatives Fall in Love With Dovish Economic Policy?
The presidential election of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which will essentially decide who will become the departing Kishida Fumio’s successor as Japanese prime minister, is becoming a crowded...
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Sri Lanka’s Presidential Manifestos: What’s Promised for Women?
Sri Lanka is gearing up for its ninth presidential election on September 21, but notably no women candidates are running for the highest office in the country. While having a woman candidate does not...
View ArticleIndonesia’s Biodiesel Push Poses Risks to Palm Oil Supply Chain
As the world’s largest producer of palm oil, Indonesia has sought to capitalize on the commodity’s use as an alternative source of renewable energy through the adoption of biodiesel, a blend of palm...
View ArticleIndonesia Deports Fugitive Philippine Mayor Accused of Involvement in Cyberscams
Alice Guo, a fugitive small-town mayor under investigation for her alleged ties to Chinese criminal syndicates, arrived back in the Philippines this morning after her extradition by Indonesian...
View ArticlePM Anwar Says Malaysia Will Not Halt Oil and Gas Exploration in South China Sea
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says that his country will not bow to demands from Beijing to stop its oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea, after the publication of a leaked...
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As the TPP Faces Controversy, Will Third Parties Disappear From Taiwan...
Recently, the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) has been caught up in a controversy over political donations, followed by the arrest of its founder, Ko Wen-je, in a corruption case stemming from his time as...
View ArticleWill Koizumi Shinjiro Become Japan’s Youngest Prime Minister?
On September 6, Koizumi Shinjiro, former environment minister and the son of former Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro, officially expressed his willingness to run in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)’s...
View ArticleSouth Korea’s President Yoon Meets Japanese Prime Minister Kishida One Last Time
The leaders of South Korea and Japan met in Seoul on Friday before Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio leaves office. It was the 12th – and likely last – meeting between Kishida and President Yoon...
View ArticleAfter a Teenage Girl Is Killed on the Bangladesh-India Border, a War of...
At a time when Bangladesh-India relations appear to be at an all-time low, following the ousting of the pro-India Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina, and amid Bangladesh’s accusations that...
View ArticleFractures in New Caledonia’s Independence Movement Widen, Uncertainty Reigns
In a stunning display of brinkmanship, Daniel Goa, the president of the Union Calédonienne (UC), made a provocative statement in a recent speech. “France has deceived us so thoroughly that our...
View ArticleTo Combat China’s Influence Operations, US Officials Need Sharper Tools and a...
On September 3, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Linda Sun, a former top aide to New York Governor Kathy Hochul and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, had been charged with acting as an agent...
View ArticleSouth Korea’s President Yoon Meets Japanese Prime Minister Kishida One Last Time
The leaders of South Korea and Japan met in Seoul on Friday before Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio leaves office. It was the 12th – and likely last – meeting between Kishida and President Yoon...
View ArticleDonald Trump Visits a Vietnamese Restaurant
“Somehow . . . I don’t know what it is. The Vietnamese community loves me. And I love them.” Donald Trump’s remarks at a campaign stop in Northern Virginia were greeted with chants of “U.S.A., U.S.A. ....
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